Zenith

Coaching Centre

Leela’s Friend

How do Mr. and Mrs. Sivasanker react to Leela’s missing chain? How does Leela herself react? What does this suggest about each of them?

Ans. Mr. and Mrs. Sivasanker reacted differently to Leela’s missing chain. At first, Mrs. Sivasanker noticed that the gold chain Leela had been wearing was missing. At this, she was surprised, shocked, angry and furious. As a result, she gave Leela a slap and suspiciously asked Sidda about the chain. On the other hand, Mr. Sivasanker grew very excited over all the incident and went to the police station and lodged a complaint.

         Being a child, Leela had no such reaction that she had lost a valuable thing. She did not reacted like her parents and even she was not bothered about her missing chain.

         This suggested that Leela was immatured and she loved Sidda very much and she had a lot of sympathy for him. On the other hand, Leela’s parents had formal relation with Sidda. It was like a master-servant relationship. They were rude and unkind in their behaviour.

What message is conveyed by Mr. Sivasanker’s final words in the story, “In any case, we couldn’t have kept a criminal like him in the house.”

Ans. In ‘Leela’s friend’ Sidda is wrongly treated by Leela’s parents, and is finally dismissed from the job.  In this context Mr. Sivasanker said, “In any case,we couldn’t have kept a criminal like him in the house”. This message raises questions about the behaviour of the masters towards their servants in common indian household. When somethinng is missing, a servant is inevitably suspected for the wrong-doinng. Mr. Sivasanker illogically considers Sidda as a criminal, though the gold chain is found in his own house. That is why the boy like Sidda can not return  to the mainstream of life. It seems that the real jewel Sidda, not the gold chain, is lost in the darkness of the society.

Grammar: Do as directed

1.  She said something. She examinned his effort. (join by using participle)

2.  She stood near the rose plant. She pointed towards the moon. (join by using participle)

3.  He closed his eyes for a second. He threw the ball into the sky. (join by using participle)

4.  Mr. Sivasankar, brooding over the servant problem, stood in the front veranda of his house. (Split into simple sentences)

5.  He was asked by his wife. (change the voice)

6.  Her mind was disturbed. (change the voice)

7.  Can we touch the sky? (change the voice)

Zenith

Coaching Centre

Leela’s Friend

What is your own view of Sidda? Do you think he is a suitable friend for Leela? Give at least three examples from the text to support your argument.

Ans. Sidda is a simple servant in the house of Mr. Sivasanker. He is tidy and is capable of doing many household works. Though he has criminal records, he seems to have rectified himself in the story. He is capable of take care of child like Leela. He is affectionate to Leela. He is so attractive that Leela can not stay without him. So, above all he is a good person.

         Yes, I think he is a suitable friend for Leela.

Leela like to play with Sidda always. She can not sleep if Sidda does not tell her story in her bed time. She insisted upon having his company all her waking hours. So, these three examples prove that Sidda is a suitable friend for Leela.

What is your idea about Leela, the friend of Sidda?

Ans. Leela is the only daughter of a rich family. She is allowed to take decisions whether Sidda will be engaged as a servant or not. She is very sensitive and she loves Sidda as her friend. She always like to spend time with Sidda. She is very possessive and compassionate about him. In the story, sometimes we see that she is quite stubborn and adamant. She becomes restless for Sidda when he leaves their house. Being a child she is not bothered about her gold chain, but she is worried about Sidda. She is an innocent  chlid and she is careless about her material attachments.

Grammar: Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions and articles

1.  Mr. Sivasanker was standing ______ ______ front veranda ______ his house brooding ______ ______ servant problem.

2.  Sidda clutched ______ ball, closed hhis eyes ______ ______ second and threw the ball ______.

3.  He covered ______ ball tightly ______ his fingers.

4.  I have asked it to follow us ______.

5.  She made him squat ______ ______ floor. ______ ______ pencil ______ his fingers.

6.  But that good fellow though ______ adept ______ controlling ______ moon was uterly incapable ______ plying the pencil.

7.  She was ______ his side when he was working ______ ______ garden.

Do as directed:

1.  One evening he went out to buy sugar. Leela went with him. (join into a complex sentence)

2.  Leela clapped her hands and screamed in wonder. (split)

3.  Sidda was hanging about the gate at a mement when Mr. Sivasanker was standing in the front veranda of his house, brooding over the servant problem. (split)